MO Veterans Commission wants $16 million for Covid Budget shortfall

The Missouri Veterans Commission plans to ask the Legislature and governor for an extra 16.4 million dollars to operate Missouri’s seven state-run nursing homes for veterans. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the agency has received 13 million dollars in federal aid, but revenues have declined because the commission has stopped admitting new veterans at homes that have positive cases of COVID-19. Of the 1,238 beds in the system, only 872 are currently being used. The number of COVID-19 related deaths at the homes has increased to 73 since September 1. Missouri has veterans homes in Cameron, Cape Girardeau, St. James, Warrensburg, Mount Vernon, St. Louis and Mexico.